


Indignity

by Mareel



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Developing Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Illnesses, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-25
Updated: 2014-07-25
Packaged: 2018-02-10 08:15:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2017647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mareel/pseuds/Mareel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sick <i>and</i> embarrassed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Indignity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Smith](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smith/gifts).



> This takes place during a mission sometime after "Minefield" in mid-Season 2, prior to acknowledgement by either Jonathan or Malcolm of the nascent relationship between them. It is Malcolm's voice. The prompt for this was 'leech'.
> 
> This is for Smith, with my deepest thanks for many wonderful discussions.

 

__________________________________________________

 

"Fucking bugs!"

There might be things I loathe more than swamps and insects but none of them came to mind as I swatted and slogged my way through the morass the xenobotany team had chosen to survey. It reminded me of one of the worst camping trips organised by my Boy Scout troop in Malaysia. 

Though no large predators had been detected in a preliminary scan, I was responsible for the safety of the science team in the study area. I’d mapped out a route, but at some point it became clear that I wasn’t following it. I was sweating madly and the dank air had given me a headache. I stopped by a tree I was sure I’d seen before to try to take my bearings. But I was having a hard time making sense of the readings – the figures on the screen were shimmering and wouldn’t come into focus. 

I looked around for a place to rest but except for a few mossy wet stones there wasn’t anything suitable. I considered whether to contact the others, but decided that it would be worse to have them wandering around out here looking for me. I would get through this. 

A few steps later, the first wave of dizziness hit. Damn heat. Then it felt like my skin was crawling. One of my too vivid memories of that camping trip was of picking leeches off of my ankles after wading across a swamp not unlike this one. I shuddered as I realised that this felt the same… and it wasn’t just my ankles. 

Proceeding alone was going to be impossible – the first dizziness had passed but it returned as I fumbled with my communicator. I dreaded having to make the call, but the leeches were unrelenting and I certainly wasn’t going to undress out here and try to pluck them off. 

It was very possibly the most embarrassing moment in my life. Having to report to my Captain that I required transport from the surface of the swampy planet before the end of the survey mission was difficult. To answer his concerned inquiry about the reason for my request pushed me toward desperate evasion. 

“Lieutenant, what happened? Can you wait for a shuttle or do we need to try beaming you aboard?” Captain Archer’s voice was calm as he tried to determine what was necessary. 

My reply probably didn’t reassure him as I explained, “It’s a medical emergency, sir. It seems I’ve been… _am being_ … attacked by some sort of leeches.”

There was a pause as I heard him notify Doctor Phlox and tell Travis to get a shuttle prepped and ready to go. “Are there other casualties as well?” he asked, concern evident in his voice.

“I don’t know, sir. I’m separated from the rest of the team, doing recon on the perimeter of the study area. I’ve not heard from anyone though. It could be just this area.” I added, perhaps unwisely, “Could you get the doctor here quickly? It’s very…” I almost said _painful_ but I didn’t want to admit that to Captain Archer. 

The level of concern in his voice escalated. “Malcolm! What is it? Phlox is on his way in a shuttle. Are you losing a lot of blood? Where were you bitten?”

I had hoped he wouldn’t ask me that. I took a breath, trying to sound calmer than I felt, trying to find the right words. “I don’t know about the blood loss, sir. I do feel a bit light-headed. The leeches… got in past the cuff of my trousers. I apparently didn’t notice at first. But now… one found a rather delicate location, if you take my meaning.” I could feel my face flushing. I don’t know why I couldn’t give him a simple medical report properly without the euphemism. 

His reply was quick and urgent. “Stay where you are, Lieutenant. It looks like there’s a solid enough landing site not far from there.” Then his voice seemed to soften. “It’s okay, Malcolm. I understand what you’re saying. You’ll be fine. Phlox will take care of it, I’m sure.”

I collected myself enough to reply before half-collapsing against a vine-covered tree trunk. “Thank you, Captain. Reed out.”

 

_____________________________________________

 

My memory of the next few minutes or hours was hazy. I was vaguely aware of being lifted into a shuttlecraft, but the faces were swimming above me and the only one I could identify for certain was Phlox. When I came to full consciousness I was on _Enterprise_ , in sickbay. The doctor was hovering, but I caught a glimpse of a taller figure behind him – Captain Archer. 

I tried to sit up, but the doctor held my shoulder down firmly. “Not so fast, Lieutenant. Just lie very still. I’m glad to see you awake though. You’ve had quite a time of it, but you’re still not fully healed.”

The Captain moved closer, standing close to me on the other side of the biobed, across from Phlox. He rested his hand on my chest, trying to be reassuring. “You had more than a few leeches, Malcolm. You were also bitten by some type of insect.”

Phlox interrupted to add medical details. “Something resembling a mosquito actually. The bite was probably on exposed skin… I’d guess on your neck. It probably occurred prior to your encounter with the leeches. You wouldn’t have noticed the small bite.” He shakes his head. “I’m unfamiliar with this species of insect, but it was carrying a very virulent disease… at least to humans. I’m working on a possible cure, but for now all I’ve been able to do is stabilise your symptoms.”

I tried to grasp the magnitude of what he was saying. “So I’ve been sick for… how long? Overnight?”

The Captain replied to that. “You’ve been drifting in and out of consciousness for three days. We weren’t sure you were going to make it.” There was a catch in his voice and he looked directly into my eyes to make sure I understood. “I’m very glad that you’re still here, Malcolm. I was so afraid of losing you.”

Something in his voice made it sound like he was talking about losing _me_ , personally, not just losing his tactical officer. I put that aside in my mind to mull over later. Right now, I felt like something was still wriggling against my skin.

“Doctor! Is that leech still there? I can still feel something… down here.” Without thinking, I slid my hand down to my groin, toward the source of the intrusion. Jonathan… no, _the Captain_ , I corrected myself, was quicker than Phlox to take my hand and gently place it back on my chest. 

“It’s okay, Malcolm. But you need to leave it be for now. I’m sure it’s uncomfortable for you.” He almost made it sound like he’d done that before, moving my hand, that is. 

Uncomfortable didn’t begin to describe it. Especially since I just realised I was lying there wearing only a sheet. 

Phlox explained the situation more graphically. “Those leeches are saving your life, Mr. Reed. They probably _did_ save it down on that planet by drawing out toxins with the blood. I don’t dare remove them until I know how to treat the disease.”

A wave of nausea hit me in reaction to the image he was drawing in my mind. Leeches… sucking blood and god knows what all else, from my privates. And I had to lie here and converse with my Captain as if this were all perfectly normal. Actually I couldn’t fathom why he was here at all. I think I asked him about that. “Don’t you have more important things to do than tend to me in Sickbay?”

His simple reply touched me deeply even if I didn’t understand it.

“No, Malcolm, I don’t. The ship is safe in orbit here. T’Pol will let me know if anything develops.” Then his voice dropped to a soft whisper. “And this is where I need to be. Here with you.”

 

_____________________________________________

 

My memory of the following days is hazy, perhaps from the fever or the sedatives Phlox was administering. I do remember telling him once that I didn’t want it, that I wanted to clear my head, but he told me that if I kept squirming, the leeches might get dislodged and he had no replacements available. 

I didn’t tell him that the squirming episode was not actually a response to the still unpleasant sensation of the leeches. I remembered that part very clearly. I’d awakened abruptly from a very disconcerting dream… not a new dream for me, but a rather sensuous and graphic one involving the Captain – _Jonathan_ in the dream. And when I opened my eyes, I saw him sitting close to my biobed, evidently still watching over me. I could still feel the arousal from the dream, and strained to lift my head to see the failure of the sheet to conceal it, I tried reaching a hand down to cover myself, but once again, Jonathan was quick to move it back to my side. 

This time he didn’t let go, simply holding my hand in his as if that was a normal thing for him to do. His words were quiet. “It’s okay, Malcolm. I’m here. Not going anywhere.” I remember the warmth of his hand, of his voice. Then Phlox arrived with the sedative and I lost track of time again.

 

_____________________________________________

 

Drifting in and out of awareness, I heard bits of conversation around me. “His fever is worsening… need more leeches soon.” Apparently the Terran leeches in Phlox’s menagerie wouldn’t do, as the blood toxin would kill them. “Must send a team down to get them… Vulcans immune… suggest T’Pol lead the team…”

I know I didn’t open my eyes that time. My embarrassment intensified at the thought of T’Pol knowing the specifics of my condition. That’s when I remembered that probably the whole ship knew about it, since my distress call to the Captain would have been broadcast on the Bridge. As I drifted off again, my last thought was that Trip would have a field day teasing me about it all – ‘Where were those leeches again, Malcolm?’

 

_____________________________________________

 

When I finally woke fully, I felt completely drained. I barely had the energy to turn my head at the sound of a familiar voice speaking my name very softly. 

“Malcolm… Malcolm, you can wake up now. The worst is over. Come back now, please… I need you here.”

There was an odd tone in his voice, something like sadness, something like hope. My hand felt empty, and I realized why when I saw that he was resting his head in both of his hands. My throat was dry but I know I managed to croak out a whisper. “Jonathan.”

He looked up at that, his eyes lighting as he reached for my hand again. It felt right and I relaxed. He didn’t say anything for a long time, and then tried to explain all that had happened. 

“Phlox is taking a short rest break now, but I can call him if you need anything. He’s been working around the clock to find a cure for that fever you caught. But it looks like it worked.”

He smiles at me, squeezing my hand a bit. “You gave us quite a scare though. Again. You need to stop doing that, Lieutenant.”

There was a lightness to his words, and I replied in kind. “Yes, sir. I’ll do my best.”

"You always do, Malcolm.”

His few words warmed me, so much so that I glanced down at the sheet, afraid of embarrassing myself yet again. 

He followed my gaze. “It’s okay, the leeches are gone now. It will take some time to get your strength back, but you’ll be fine.” His focus on the leeches was reassuring. Perhaps there was something of my dignity left. 

“I didn’t thank you, sir… you’ve been here all this time, though everything.”

His reply set the rest of my life on its present course. “You’re very welcome. It was where I needed to be. And you called me Jonathan several times.” His eyes met mine and he lightly touched his fingertips to my cheek. “I liked hearing that.”

Leaning into his touch, I murmured, knowing that he'd hear it, “I’ll remember that... Jonathan.”

_____________________________________________

 


End file.
